Design Your Own Postcard

  With Netpost Services of the United States Postal Service you can
create and mail your own postcards. Cards can be sent from anywhere in the world to anywhere in the world.

Although stock card designs are offered, the real advantage of using
the Netpost Service is the ability to use your own photos and designs.
The applications are limited only by your creativity. Anything that can
be captured in a JPEG digital image can be put on a postcard.

Premium Postcards can be ordered for 84¢ each which includes postage
and mailing. The Premium Postcards are 4.25 inches by 6 inches, are
printed in full-color on thick cardstock and have a glossy scuff resistant coating. When ordering you simply upload or choose an image for the front of the card then write a message online for the back. The back of the card can also have an image in place of the text.

To get started go to the www.usps.com website and sign in. Look for a
link for Netpost Services or sending cards. You may need to have an account before you can access all the instructions needed to create your cards. Since the instructions may change this will just give some basic information about what is required.

You will need a digital image in JPEG format and some sort of photo-editing software to conform to the image requirements. Your image should be sized to print at 5.50 inches by 3.75 inches with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (maximum 600 dpi). Actually this is the ideal....larger images will be resized proportionally and you can probably get by with any resolution over 200 dpi. You can include type in the image you upload or add it during the online creation process. The online feature for adding text to the image is very limited in choice of fonts and positioning, so it is best to add the text before you upload the image.

A really fun project in creating postcards is a project you can do with
small kids. It is quite simple and they will have a blast doing it. All
is needed is a photo, index card and some glue. Just glue you picture
to the index card and let your child create his or her own message. Be
creative with your postcards and not limit yourself to just the
pictures. Have your child color a small picture for the grandparents or
add some holiday glitter. Another idea is to use cloth to create your
own postcards. Start stamping, painting, adding other fabrics, beads,
yarn, hand or machine sewing. Whatever you think you need to create a wonderful postcard. The ideas are limitless in creating your own
postcards so stretch your imagination and makes someone's day special.